According to new allegations reported by ESPN, the late Bobby Knight and other senior officials at Indiana University were aware of claims regarding inappropriate sexual conduct by the now-deceased Dr. Bradford Bomba, an athletics department physician, but they did not take action.

Last fall, two former Hoosier athletes filed a lawsuit against the university over these accusations. ESPN reports that they have now been joined by five more claimants, with an additional ten expected to join the case.

In the current lawsuit, the former players assert that Bomba routinely conducted rectal exams on male athletes during their physicals, even though medical guidelines did not endorse such exams for college-aged men. The accusers claim that Indiana officials, including Knight, ignored their complaints and insisted that they continue undergoing exams by Bomba.

During his initial deposition a year ago, Bomba refused to answer 45 questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. He died last month at 89 after a federal judge ruled he was not competent to be further deposed in the matter.

Last month, Indiana commissioned an investigation that found Bomba’s digital rectal exams were performed in a ‘clinically appropriate manner,’ adding that there was ‘no evidence to suggest that Dr. Bomba achieved sexual gratification.’ 

The report claimed players would ‘joke or engage in what they characterized as ‘locker room banter”‘ about Bomba’s exams. Garl described the behavior as ‘razzing’ and claimed no player ever complained about the exams to him as ‘being inappropriate or sexual in any manner.’

However, Michelle Simpson Tuegel – representing the group of 10 players who are preparing to file suit – said two of her clients contradict that finding. One individual said Bomba ‘fondled his genitalia’ during a physical.

Some medical experts indicated that it was uncommon for a physician to perform a rectal exam without any concerning history or symptoms. These procedures are generally used to screen for prostate and other cancers. In the 1990s, the American Cancer Society recommended them for men who were 50 and older.

Former Toronto Raptors coach and Hoosiers guard Butch Carter is not a plaintiff in the suit but ESPN reported he gave a sworn statement describing his own experiences with Bomba.

In his statement, previously reported in March, Carter claimed he told Knight about the problem, but the legendary Hoosiers coach and head athletic trainer Tim Garl ordered him to see Bomba anyway. Other claimants have made similar allegations.

An Indiana University spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation. Daily Mail has also sought comment from representatives of the Bomba family, Garl, and Knight Legacy LLC, the company owned by the Hall-of-Fame coach’s son, Pat.

Garl, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, was the head athletic trainer from 1981 until this year, when Indiana said it would not renew his contract. Garl’s attorneys spoke to ESPN, claiming the trainer did not supervise Bomba and adding that rectal exams were a normal part of a physical.

Knight was among the winningest and most controversial coaches in the sport, finishing his career with 902 victories in 42 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech while mentoring some of America’s best coaches.. He also coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1984.

The Hall of Famer cared little what others thought of him, choosing Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ to celebrate his 880th win in 2007, then the record for a Division I men’s coach.

He was nicknamed ‘The General’ and his trademark temper also cost him his job at Indiana in 2000. He once hit a police officer in Puerto Rico, threw a chair across the court and was accused of wrapping his hands around a player’s neck. 

Knight died in 2023 after battling a number of health issues. 

The case against Indiana and Bomba is reminiscent of other Big 10 scandals, including sexual abuse convictions of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and ex-Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar, as well as major lawsuits against Ohio State and Michigan over similar claims about physicians at those schools.

Sandusky’s arrest would ultimately tarnish the legacy of legendary Nittany Lions football coach Joe Paterno, who died during the mushrooming 2012 scandal, as well as late Wolverines football coach Bo Schembechler.

In Schembechler’s case, his son Matt was among the accusers of Dr. Robert Anderson. Matt Schembechler has since accused his late father of failing to protect him from Anderson, who died in 2008.

The Ohio State scandal involved allegations of sexual abuse against Dr. Richard Strauss, who died by suicide in 2005. Several ex-Buckeyes wrestlers accused former head coach Russ Hellickson and U.S. representative Jim Jordan – an assistant coach on the team – of ignoring abuse claims between 1987 and 1994.